Human Rights, Human Shields, Human Indifference

“As the Jews go, so go the Christians.”

"We know that Hamas uses human shields. But why would you report this when you are sitting in the middle of the Gaza Strip, surrounded by Hamas gunmen?" – Reporter covering the war, who asked not to be identified*

The “leaders” of Hamas give interviews from hospitals and schools, because they know they have the protection they need: innocent civilians. “Human rights” demonstrations in Europe and elsewhere have become little more than an excuse for the promotion of genocide. In Seattle, a demonstration included a poster showing a Jew drinking blood and eating a Christian child. In France, they have become a pogrom.

The demonstrations have absolutely nothing to do with being human, let alone rights. They are nothing more than a stage for anti-Semitism and Israel bashing. If these concerned demonstrators cared about human rights, they would be marching in the thousands against the embassies and consulates of Russia, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan and others. They would be demonstrating against the rape of women and children, child labor and the treatment of minorities in their countries. Alas they remain silent.

Using this silence, Russia and its allies shoot down a passenger jet, and are on the verge of unleashing a war on the Ukraine. Using this silence, ISIS (part of the umbrella that includes Hamas, the Muslim brotherhood, Islamic Jihad etc.) is on the verge of exterminating Christians in Iraq. Our politicians react to their demands by punishing Israel.

Jews are a soft target, and the leaders of Europe (and now the U.S.) are so adroit at appeasement, all they offer is impotent words of, “anti-Semitism, bad, bad,” and then wring their hands. The goal of ISIS and their minions is to extend their influence either through a caliphate or through the terror they deem necessary to bring the western world to its knees.

Our president should be taking every opportunity to demand that Hamas cease using human shields, and encouraging Israel to continue to destroy the tunnels terrorists use to attack it. It was recently revealed, according to Israeli security forces Hamas was planning an attack on Rosh Hashanah. The plan was to send hundreds of terrorists simultaneously through many tunnels to take over kibbutzim and towns in the area and unleash a massive, unprecedented terrorist attack.

Our leaders tell Israel to practice restraint and to negotiate, but how do you negotiate survival?

As a convert to Judaism, I have written that I joined the Jewish people because my soul was bound up with them from the time I was a child. One of the reasons I was drawn to Judaism is that Jews are as much about other people as they do about themselves (often to the detriment of the Jewish people).

Israel has been publicizing the plight of Arab Christians for years. Christians, like Jews, once flourished in the Arab world. The tolerance of the Muslims helped produce some great Jewish thinkers. All of that is gone now, and the Christian minorities are learning what we learned long ago. No one cares about them. Forced to convert, leave or die (sound familiar?) they are quickly disappearing. Our elected leaders have said little and done nothing.

On Sunday, an American priest appeared on a program to talk about the plight of the Christians of Mosul. They have been ordered to convert, leave or die. He talked as if it was something new. I admire that he is finally speaking out, but he has been silent on the treatment of Jews in Europe and until now, Christians in the Middle East. He has never mentioned the plight of an American pastor, Saeed Abdeini, as he rots in an Iranian prison. He rightfully criticized the administration and western governments for their lack of concern and action, but he should have been leading the way a long time ago. Christian leaders need to understand what Mike Huckabee, the former governor of Arkansas, said, “As the Jews go, so go the Christians.” This reality might be too much for them to stomach, but it is true.

Although they were written decades ago, the words of Martin Niemöller mean as much today as when they were penned. When asked how and why the Nazi’s came to power, he wrote the following:

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out – because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me – and there was no one left to speak for me.

We need to remember the wise words of Edmond Burke that all it takes for evil to flourish is for good men, including men of faith to do nothing. We are all in this together.

*”How the media is helping Hamas” by Basam Tawil, The Gatestone Institute, July 27, 2014.

Visitor Comments: 13

(11)
Anonymous,
August 26, 2014 7:37 PM

Martin Niemöller's words powerful

Martin Niemöller's words powerful

(10)
Beverly Kurtin,
August 18, 2014 7:07 AM

Americans shut their eyes

Americans don't get what id's happening and what IS going to happen in it sooner than they think. Our Constitution and Bill of Rights is being used against us!
Terrorist cells, sleeper cells are already infecting ALL OF OUR CITIES. Yet, if we say anything pointing out that they exist, we cower when the Muslims accuse us of being antiIslamic. When that happens, we need to show them THEIR ANTIAMERICANISM! We must fight fire with fire.
The demented former president Jimmy Carter wants to put Hamas on the same level as Israel. He is a perfect example of how messed up America is. Doesn't he know that Hamas, when they have committed the Jewish genocide that they will start committing genocide on the CHRISTIANS? As Hamas puts it,first the Saturday people, then the Sunday people.
Hamas, the PLO, and Hezbollah virtually wiped out the Christian population of Lebanon. Carter doesn't think that they will do the same wherever they go next?
We Americans had better start working on our Constitution to restrict the kind of speech that they are using to destroy us. The terrorists hate our democracy our freedom,and everything else that we stand for.
Iran is working us morons that we are. We are letting them get away with their development of a nuclear weapon. Our president BELIEVES THAT THEY ARE KEEPING THEIR AGREEMENTS, BUT ONE OF THESE FINE DAYS...without warning,we will see a bright flash in the sky,followed by a mushroom cloud.

(9)
Marlene,
August 1, 2014 5:05 AM

Hand this article out in non-Jewish Houses of Worship

Jews know what has happened and continues to happen. It's time for non-Jews to read this article!

My suggestion is to make copies and give as handouts to each and every church, every denomination/non-denomination and all other non-Jewish houses of worship.

If each person has no right, no one, including Muslims, will have rights.

Learn from history! You will not be able to stand alone against haters. Jews have been, but we are still but a tiny fraction of the world's population! Remember that without all the zeros, this is the count of people:

6,986 non-Jews in the world 14 Jews in the world

Hatred is a cancer/Aids/ebola combination ... and it's spreading faster than non-Jews can comprehend.

(8)
Anonymous,
July 30, 2014 1:45 PM

Excellent!

This is excellent! Thank you so much for posting it!

(7)
Yehudith Shraga,
July 30, 2014 7:39 AM

Israel speaks out loud about the tragedy of Christians in Muslim countries, while the Christian countries speak out loud against Israel!

What the Christians're going through now in the Islamic world is the experience they put Jews through,when we had no our state and nobody on our site to speak in our favor between the other nations,with a tiny amendment, that there are a lot of Christian states in the world, who see the suffering of their brothers and sisters and do nothing to save them, instead they try to pretend they're so busy with criticizing Israel on Gaza situation.Torah teaches us the correct response to the problems or tragedies of our enemies or evil doers and says, that though they behaved wrong to us, we should make all we can to help them.It's our duty to speak out for the fate of the Christians in Muslim countries and to remind them not to wait till it is too late. The G-d gives us the situations when we can make a true repentance,for the Christians it's the speaking out loud about all the wrongs they've done to the People of Israel and doing everything to save their brothers and sisters in need, instead, it seems that they use their power and abilities to continue blaming the Jews for all the wrongs in this world, they continue closing the eyes on the Islamic grabbing on the Europe and US, and their open cynical usage of the resources of Europe and US to make their permanent presence in those countries to be the camps for terrorists and Islamic invasions.The G-d keeps the Christian world spiritually blind, because to gain the spiritual seeing,one should first see and correct all the wrong one has done, and start keeping the bestowing form of Life as is taught by Torah and Jewish Sages, instead of keeping hold on the false believes, which push them to the tragedy of annihilation and distraction by those whom they so blindly support.Mida kiNeged Mida is the spiritual rule, which shows us the MUST implementation of "Love your neighbor us yourself". No wonder the Jews may not rely on the help of the Christian world, because even the Christians in need may not.

(6)
Betty,
July 29, 2014 11:47 PM

God Help us All

It is so hard to believe that there are so many intelligent writers on this site that are 100 per cent right on and that I live in the great United States and am surrounded by people who believe if they support Obama, they must be against the Jews! I'm a Christian who believes without a doubt, that we are hated as much as the Jews are! Even in the US our rights are being trampled on while the Muslims who live here seem to have more rights than we do! It is very troubling!When I read this morning that there were bombs found in the mosques in Gaza I wondered how many are in the mosques in the US. Of course we wouldn't be able to look because that would be considered profiling! I live close to Seattle and saw the demonstration that this article talked about! It was nauseating and of course the liberal news media made a huge deal out of it in favor of the Palestinians!I blame the liberal news media for a lot of the hate towards Israel and the Jews!Yet we must remember that God is in control and the Jews are his choses people! Keep doing what you are doing and we will keep praying for the peace of Israel! GOD BLESS ISRAEL AND THE JEWS!!!!

Sarah,
August 11, 2014 2:27 AM

You are right. I live in the Netherlands in Europe and here is it the same situation. I do not feel safe anymore. The muslim people want to take controle everywhere and the most of the people are totaly blind for there lies. God bless Israel en the Jews.

(5)
ike Albert,
July 29, 2014 7:58 PM

Hashem's Dome

As long as HIS Dome is over us
we have nothing to fear. Remember Misraim . HE is hardening their hearts so Amelek
will be destroyed forever.

(4)
Esther,
July 29, 2014 7:19 PM

Israel fight for life

Thank you for this article. I am Jewish and I live in Israel. We do not want war. We want to live in peace, we want to raise our children for peace. Instead of this we bury the best of our children every single day. We are forced by hamas terrorists to fight. I hope one day the world will see the truth and I hope this day will come soon.

(3)
Robert Rubin,
July 29, 2014 6:38 PM

Israel's fight is the fight for humanity

this is not just a fight for Israel's existence --- this is a fight for all of humanity --- people are blind to the fact that hamas and its enablers are dragging us into gehinnom

(2)
Sister M. Michele,
July 29, 2014 5:37 PM

We certainly are all at risk...

Thank you for this article. If we all knew our history, we would also know that evil, that is, terrorism, whatever the group might call itself: Nazis, Communists, fascists, radical Islamists...etc. these such groups, possessing a selfish, hateful, power-hungry ideology, don't stop at one country or a clearly defined territory, or with one particular people or religion. History tells us, so common sense should be awakened in our poor, weak minds, to the fact that terrorism in any form seeks global domination. Hitler had no intention of stopping at Austria or Poland or France. Communism,too,has sought to gain nation after nation, plowing over any form of religion or political group that opposes it. Radical Islamists have no intention of conquering and destroying only Israel, or the Jews only, but seek to have control over the entire world.: no other religion, but Islam, no other power except Islam, no other culture except Islam. We in the West, must do our homework and find out for ourselves that Israel is only the prelude. Indeed, what Israel is doing now to stay free and secure, is what all the world ought to be prepared to do. They are fighting terrorism in one small corner of the world. It will not end there. We need to support Israel in all ways possible and so learn how to stand up to the terrorists. We must follow their example of bravery and perseverance, for in truth, we are all at risk.

Betty,
July 30, 2014 3:47 PM

Thank You

Wonderful insight and so true, but how on earth do we wake people up?? Most of my friends are liberal and therefore that seems to also include hate for Israel! When our country turns against Israel we are doomed!!!! I believe the only reason this country has been Blessed up to this point is because we have always supported Israel!

(1)
jonatan,
July 29, 2014 4:47 PM

abad guys will defeat if a good guys keepin' coming

that's means take a side make an action as respond and never give up while every thing seems against us because wisdom will lead our though way out.that the easy way we take responsible share of the world we live and be apart of it.

I'm told that it's a mitzvah to become intoxicated on Purim. This puzzles me, because to my understanding, it is not considered a good thing to become intoxicated, period.

One of the characteristics of the at-risk youth is their use of drugs, including alcohol. In my experience, getting drunk doesn't reveal secrets. It makes people act stupid and irresponsible, doing things they would never do if they were sober. Also, I know a lot about the horrible health effects of abusing alcohol, because I work at a research center that focuses on addiction and substance abuse.

Also, I am an alcoholic, which means that if I drink, very bad things happen. I have not had a drink in 22 years, and I have no intention of starting now. Surely there must be instances where a person is excused from the obligation to drink. I don't see how Judaism could ever promote the idea of getting drunk. It just doesn't seem right.

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Putting aside for a moment all the spiritual and philosophical reasons for getting drunk on Purim, this remains an issue of common sense. Of course, teenagers should be warned of the dangers of acute alcohol ingestion. Of course, nobody should drink and drive. Of course, nobody should become so drunk to the point of negligence in performing mitzvot. And of course, a recovering alcoholic should not partake of alcohol on Purim.

Indeed, the Code of Jewish Law explicitly says that if one suspects the drinking may affect him negatively, then he should NOT drink.

Getting drunk on Purim is actually one of the most difficult mitzvot to do correctly. A person should only drink if it will lead to positive spiritual results - e.g. under the loosening affect of the alcohol, greater awareness will surface of the love for God and Torah found deep in the heart. (Perhaps if we were on a higher spiritual level, we wouldn't need to get drunk!)

Yet the Talmud still speaks of an obligation on Purim of "not knowing the difference between Blessed is Mordechai and Cursed is Haman." How then should a person who doesn't drink get the point of “not knowing”? Simple - just go to sleep! (Rama - OC 695:2)

All this applies to individuals. But the question remains - does drinking on Purim adversely affect the collective social health of the Jewish community?

The aversion to alcoholism is engrained into Jewish consciousness from a number of Biblical and Talmudic sources. There are the rebuking words of prophets - Isaiah 28:1, Hosea 3:1 with Rashi, and Amos 6:6, and the Zohar says that "The wicked stray after wine" (Midrash Ne'alam Parshat Vayera).

It is well known that the rate of alcoholism among Jews has historically been very low. Numerous medical, psychological and sociological studies have confirmed this. The connection between Judaism and sobriety is so evident, that the following conversation is reported by Lawrence Kelemen in "Permission to Receive":

When Dr. Mark Keller, editor of the Quarterly Journal of Studies on Alcohol, commented that "practically all Jews do drink, and yet all the world knows that Jews hardly ever become alcoholics," his colleague, Dr. Howard Haggard, director of Yale's Laboratory of Applied Physiology, jokingly proposed converting alcoholics to the Jewish religion in order to immerse them in a culture with healthy attitudes toward drinking!

Perhaps we could suggest that it is precisely because of the use of alcohol in traditional ceremonies (Kiddush, Bris, Purim, etc.), that Jews experience such low rates of alcoholism. This ceremonial usage may actually act like an inoculation - i.e. injecting a safe amount that keeps the disease away.

Of course, as we said earlier, all this needs to be monitored with good common sense. Yet in my personal experience - having been in the company of Torah scholars who were totally drunk on Purim - they acted with extreme gentleness and joy. Amid the Jewish songs and beautiful words of Torah, every year the event is, for me, very special.

Adar 12 marks the dedication of Herod's renovations on the second Holy Temple in Jerusalem in 11 BCE. Herod was king of Judea in the first century BCE who constructed grand projects like the fortresses at Masada and Herodium, the city of Caesarea, and fortifications around the old city of Jerusalem. The most ambitious of Herod's projects was the re-building of the Temple, which was in disrepair after standing over 300 years. Herod's renovations included a huge man-made platform that remains today the largest man-made platform in the world. It took 10,000 men 10 years just to build the retaining walls around the Temple Mount; the Western Wall that we know today is part of that retaining wall. The Temple itself was a phenomenal site, covered in gold and marble. As the Talmud says, "He who has not seen Herod's building, has never in his life seen a truly grand building."

Some people gauge the value of themselves by what they own. But in reality, the entire concept of ownership of possessions is based on an illusion. When you obtain a material object, it does not become part of you. Ownership is merely your right to use specific objects whenever you wish.

How unfortunate is the person who has an ambition to cleave to something impossible to cleave to! Such a person will not obtain what he desires and will experience suffering.

Fortunate is the person whose ambition it is to acquire personal growth that is independent of external factors. Such a person will lead a happy and rewarding life.

With exercising patience you could have saved yourself 400 zuzim (Berachos 20a).

This Talmudic proverb arose from a case where someone was fined 400 zuzim because he acted in undue haste and insulted some one.

I was once pulling into a parking lot. Since I was a bit late for an important appointment, I was terribly annoyed that the lead car in the procession was creeping at a snail's pace. The driver immediately in front of me was showing his impatience by sounding his horn. In my aggravation, I wanted to join him, but I saw no real purpose in adding to the cacophony.

When the lead driver finally pulled into a parking space, I saw a wheelchair symbol on his rear license plate. He was handicapped and was obviously in need of the nearest parking space. I felt bad that I had harbored such hostile feelings about him, but was gratified that I had not sounded my horn, because then I would really have felt guilty for my lack of consideration.

This incident has helped me to delay my reactions to other frustrating situations until I have more time to evaluate all the circumstances. My motives do not stem from lofty principles, but from my desire to avoid having to feel guilt and remorse for having been foolish or inconsiderate.

Today I shall...

try to withhold impulsive reaction, bearing in mind that a hasty act performed without full knowledge of all the circumstances may cause me much distress.

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